Fun Fact: Movies Exist in Theaters After Opening Weekend

Tonight I went to see Ant-Man and the Wasp. On a Tuesday. Two days after opening weekend.

Who knew?

For the last 15 years or so, I’ve based my movie-watching preferences on the assumption that movies were only available in the theater on the first Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Then they vanish.

I’ve spent months getting excited about these movies, often buying tickets weeks in advance for afternoon shows so they won’t be too crowded…and all this time I could have simply waited another day or two? Really?

This. Changes. Everything.

(In case you think this is some kind of commentary on the movie industry, it’s not. I’m just poking fun at myself because of my movie-watching habits. I really should learn to be more patient. The world didn’t end because I waited a few extra days to see Ant-Man, which was, by the way, a delightful romp.)

Have you ever seen a movie in the theater not on opening weekend?

11 thoughts on “Fun Fact: Movies Exist in Theaters After Opening Weekend”

  1. I think Star Wars movies are the only movies I tend to see on opening weekend. (and Harry Potter when they were releasing) They are really the only movies that tend to be spoiled if I wait too long. Most other movies it doesn’t bother me if I hear a few tidbits about what happens, but for the most part people just don’t seem to talk about other movies anyway. (at least the people I know) It almost boggles my mind that you haven’t realized that current movies are still in theaters after opening weekend! Some good movies will last weeks at a theater. AND some theaters have matinee (cheaper) prices in the early afternoon. I’m glad you’ve had a whole other “world” open up for you! 🙂

    Reply
    • Oh, I know in reality that movies are available after opening weekend–I just get so excited to see movies right away that it’s as if I don’t know that. 🙂 I typically go to Saturday or Sunday afternoon showings.

      Reply
  2. Game changer, right?! I very rarely go see movies on opening weekend and I’m quite happy with that. Between my weird work schedule, and my daughter attending daycare 3 days/week, I get one Tuesday every 2 weeks off and without my daughter. So my preferred movie-going time is a Tuesday matinee, which means very little people. And I’m quite fine with that! Less people means less chances for someone ruining the movie.

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    • “Less people means less chances for someone ruining the movie.” I think that’s quite good reasoning! 🙂

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      • I broke my own rule a couple of weeks ago when I saw Jurassic World the Sunday night after it opened and sure enough someone thought it would be a good idea to bring an infant to the movie so we had a crying baby throughout most of the movie. Doesn’t really make for an optimal movie experience. 😕 I usually don’t have that issue on a weekday matinee!

        Reply
  3. I grew up in a town with a $1 movie theater (for movies released weeks ago) and never felt like I missed out then (VERY pre-social media). Even today, I avoid the first 2 weeks so that the theater has fewer people around me to make it a less than ideal experience.

    I did see the recent Solo movie on the Saturday of opening weekend since my brother and his family invited me to join them. The grown man next to me took not 1, not 2, BUT 3 phone calls from his recliner chair seat just inches from me. He was not a Doctor. None of the calls were URGENT based on what I heard from both sides of the conversation. That would never happen weeks after release with 25 of us watching the show together.

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  4. I seldom go see a movie on opening weekend as I agree with Charles. So unless I want to support a movie (i.e. Ocean’s 8 – all female leads), I wait a couple of weeks. This is because the industry will usually only pay attention to a film’s box office for a week or two.

    So if they see a huge opening weekend, they will try to make more films with the same formula; the people involved in the film get the meetings/greenlights they were hoping for, so on and so forth.

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    • That’s a really good point. I never thought of the idea of helping support. I figured they get the same amount anyways… But opening weekend numbers are most important.

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  5. Several weeks ago, when my daughter had returned from college for the summer, she spent a week with me. During that time, in addition to dining out and playing board games, we went to see two movies…one on Tuesday afternoon after work (for me) and again on Thursday. We saw Solo (which admittedly didn’t get the expected draw) and Infinity Wars (which clearly did) and we had the entire theater to ourselves…how unbelievably civil.

    Reply

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